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Council proclaims March 2026 Youth Arts Month; local students and educators urge continued support
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Summary
The council proclaimed March 2026 as Youth Arts Month; PAUSD and county arts leaders and a Teen Arts Council member described broad arts programming, partnerships, and the value of local arts education, with a student speaker urging expanded funding and support.
The Palo Alto City Council issued a proclamation recognizing March 2026 as Youth Arts Month and heard testimony from local arts leaders and a student.
Council member Liu read the proclamation, which noted partnerships between the city, the Palo Alto Unified School District and the Palo Alto Children’s Theater, and the city’s arts programs including classes, camps, and youth exhibitions. Kelly Martin, director of Visual and Performing Arts for PAUSD, thanked the council and described K–12 arts offerings in visual and performing arts and the role arts play in students’ creativity and confidence.
Dr. Sofia Fojas, arts coordinator at the Santa Clara County Office of Education, described county-level initiatives, the Artspiration program, and recent county events including an Arts Education Resource Fair and a youth mariachi showcase scheduled March 20.
A Teen Arts Council member described how Palo Alto arts programs were transformative personally and urged the council to expand arts programming and funding, citing reductions in some school arts offerings and the success of the Teen Arts Council Film Lab.
Mayor and council members invited presenters and students to the dais for a photo and thanked educators and youth for their work. No formal city action beyond the proclamation was taken; presenters and youth asked the council to sustain and expand support for arts education and related community programs.
